Davenport Locomotive Works was well known for the
manufacture of rod type steam locomotives. Lesser known were
the small quantity of geared steam locomotives they produced.
The design of these geared locomotives was a unique combination of gearing
and conventional "rod type" steam locomotive technology. The
company claimed the locomotives had the tractive effort of a standard geared
locomotive with speeds similar to conventional "rod" locomotives.

Two types were produced. One was duplex with
two independently powered and geared trucks that swiveled with track
curves. The other was a fixed frame "rod type"
arrangement with supplemental gearing. Both types
utilized an oil tight, sealed gear-case, a feature also shared by the Heisler and
Bell geared steam locomotives. Each model type will be
discussed in their own set of pages accessed by clicking either of the two
images above.

Total quantities actually built are unknown, but using the roster information
we have, there were at least :

23 - Fixed Frame type locomotives built

5 - Duplex type locomotives built

When Manufactured:

A comprehensive range of build dates is unknown, but using roster information
we can conservatively conclude that :

The Duplex
type locomotives were built
from:
May, 1912 through
August, 1916

The Fixed
Frame type locomotives were built from:November, 1919 through August,
1925

We aregrateful to Roy Keeley and
Alton Underwood
for their contributions of research and materials on the Davenport Geared
Steam Locomotives. Without their contributions, these pages would
not have been possible. Roy provided much of
the roster information. Alton provided one of the company's
marketing brochures from which most of the images and model information were
derived.